Heel-clamping device.



A. J. THOMAS.

HEEL CLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man MAY 11. 1917.

1,251,13 L Patented Dec. 25,1917.

ALFRED J. THOMAS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-CLAMPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B91325; 1917,

Application filed. May 11, 1917. Serial No. 168,600.

To all/whom it may concern:

,Belit knownv that 'I, ALFRED J. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States of America, anda resident of Boston, in the'county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Clamping Devices, of which the following is, a specification.

This invention relates to devices for clamping heels to unfinished shoes while on the last and prior to the operation of attaching said heels to the shoes by a plurality of nails on similar members.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple means wherebythe unfinished shoe on the last may be supported and a heel secured thereto by a tacky substance, the shoe and heel being subjected to yielding pressure during the, setting of said tacky substance.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of I parts which will be fully understood by ref erence to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a device embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 represents a. sectional detail on line 22 on Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 represents a sectional detail on line 33 on Fig. 1.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a portion of a bench to which is secured a base 11 by means of the screws 12. The base 11 has formed integral therewith a tubular member 13 in which is positioned a plunger 14: having a reduced shank 15 extending through the lower end of the tubular member 13.

T o the lower end of the shank 15 is secured a rod 16 extending to a suitable treadle mechanism not shown. The shank 15 is provided with a laterally extending pin 17 which limits the upper movement of the plunger 14:. A helical spring 18 within the tubular member 13 surrounds the shank '15 and retains the plunger let in its normal position with the pin 17 hearing against the lower end of said tubular member 13.

Pivotally mounted upon the plunger 11 at 19 is a last support 20 having an upwardly extending pin 21 adapted to be positioned within the thimble of the last. A base 11 18 provided at its rear end with an upwardly extending member 22 in which issecured a spindle 23 by means of the pin 24:. a

' The upper end of the spindle 23 is threaded as at 25 and has a "nut or stop member 26 threaded thereto. upon thespindle 23 beneath the nut or stop member 26 is an arm 27 adapted to be swung around the axis of said spindle 23. This arm 27 is normally held in contact with the under face of the stop member 26 by means of the helical spring 28. The arm. 2'? is provided with an elongated. slot 29 through which extends the shank 30 having a head 31 beneath said arm 27 and a. clamping nut 32 threaded thereto above said arm 27 Pivoted to the head 31 at 33 is a base member 341 against which the lower lift of the heel is adapted to bear when the heel is being applied to a shoe upon a last mounted on the support 2021.

lVhen in operation the operator depresses the plunger 14 by means of the treadle mechanism, and tipping the last support 20 to the left of Fig. 1 positions the last on the support 20 with the pin 21 in the thimble of the last. He then positions a heel on the heel portion of the shoe on the last, said heel portion being provided with a tacky substance by which it may be securely fixed to the shoe. He then returns the support with the last thereon into the position indicated in Fig. 1, and releasing the pressure on the treadle mechanism the spring 18 will force the plunger 14 upwardly so that the lower lift of the heel will bear against the base plate 3 1.

The last with its shoe thereon and the heel positioned on said shoe will then be permitted to remain under the pressure of the spring 18 until the tacky substance has set and caused the heel to adhere to the shoe. By this operation the heel will remain fixed in position on the shoe until Mounted sure is applied thereto. 7

On some kinds of heels it desirable to have the axis ofthe shank 30 in alinement with the pin 21 but with other kinds of heels it is necessary to move thebase plate 84 toward or from the. spindle 23 in order to obtain an even pressure on the portion of the heel bearing against the sole of the shoe. This even pressure may beobtained by adjusting the base plate 3i longitudinally of the arm 27 and clamping it in ad justed position by means of the nut lVhen desired the arm 27 maybe swung around the axis of the spindle 23 and then returned to its normal position above the plunger let.

The device is particularly adapted for applying Wooden heels to shoes, but itis obvious that it could be also used for applying heels made of other material.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages o'fthis invention'will be fully understood from the foregoing 'description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: l

'1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base provided with a tubular member and a spindle parallel to said tubular member; an arm loosely mounted on said spindle and adapted to swing about the axis thereof; an adjustable head on said spindle; a spring for holding said arm against said head; a bed plate onsald arm;

aspring pressed plunger in saidtubulan member; and a'la'st support on said plunger.

2. In a device of the class'described, the combination of a base "prov ded with tubular member and a spindle parallel to said tubular member; an arm on said "spindle provided with a slot; an adjustable head as said spindle; a SPIlIlgIOI holding said arm i said member; a spring pressed plunger in saidtubular member and a last support on saidplunger.

Signed by me at Post Oliice Sq., Boston, Mass, this 10th da at Ma 1917; ALFRED J. THOMAS. itnesses: H

VVALTER E. LOMBARD, NAT AN LoMBani).

Copies of this patent may be obtafined tor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of "Patents,

' Washington, D. Q. i 

